What is transcoding in a home media server. UPnP: what is it? UPnP DLNA home media server. How to set up upnp dlna home media server for LG TV: access to folders and files

Now, in the age of mobile technology and gadgets, linking them within the home network seems to be a very convenient opportunity. For example, you can organize a DLNA server on your computer that will distribute video, music and other media content to your other devices. Let's see how you can create a similar point on a PC with Windows 7.

DLNA is a protocol that provides the ability to view media content (video, audio, etc.) from various devices in streaming mode, that is, without fully downloading the file. The main condition is that all devices must be connected to the same network and support the specified technology. Therefore, first of all, you need to create a home network, if you do not already have one. It can be organized using both wired and wireless connections.

Like most other tasks in Windows 7, you can organize a DLNA server using third-party software or limit yourself only to the capabilities of your own toolkit operating system. Next, we will consider the various options for creating such a distribution point in more detail.

Method 1: Home Media Server

The most popular third-party program for creating a DLNA server is HMS ("Home Media Server"). Next, we will study in detail how it can be used to solve the problem posed in this article.

Run the downloaded Home Media Server setup file. The integrity of the distribution will be checked automatically. In field "Catalog" you can specify the address of the directory where it will be unpacked. However, here you can leave the default value. In this case, just click "Run".

The distribution kit will be unpacked to the specified directory and immediately after that the program installation window will open automatically. In the field group "Installation Directory" you can specify the disk partition and path to the folder where you want to install the program. By default, this is a separate subdirectory of the standard program installation directory on disk C. It is recommended that you do not change these settings unless absolutely necessary. In field "Group of programs" name will be displayed Home Media Server. It also makes no sense to change this name unnecessarily.
But opposite the parameter "Create desktop shortcut" You can check the box as it is unchecked by default. In this case, on "Desktop" the icon of the program will appear, which will further simplify its launch. Then press "Install".

The program will be installed. After that, a dialog box will be displayed asking if you want to run the application right now. It should be pressed "Yes".

The Home Media Server interface will open, as well as an additional initial settings shell. In its first window, the device type is indicated (by default, DLNA Device), port, types of supported files, and some other parameters. If you are not an advanced user, we advise you not to change anything, but simply click "Further".

In the next window, the directories are assigned, in which the files available for distribution and the type of this content are located. By default, the following standard folders are open in the user's shared directory with the corresponding content type:
- Videos(movies, subdirectories);
- "Music"(music, subdirectories);
- Pictures(photo, subdirectories).
The available content type is highlighted in green.

If you want to distribute from a certain folder not only the type of content that is assigned to it by default, then in this case you only need to click on the corresponding white circle.

It will change color to green. Now from this folder it will be possible to distribute the selected type of content.

If you want to connect a new folder for distribution, then in this case click on the icon "Add" in the form of a green cross, which is located on the right side of the window.

A window will open "Select directory", where you must select the folder on the hard drive or external media from which you want to distribute media content, and then click OK.

After that, the selected folder will be displayed in the list along with other directories. By clicking on the appropriate buttons, which will add or remove the green color, you can specify the type of content being distributed.

If, on the contrary, you want to disable distribution in some directory, then in this case, select the appropriate folder and press the button "Delete".

After that, a dialog box will open in which you should confirm your intention to delete the folder by clicking "Yes".

The selected directory will be deleted. After you have configured all the folders that you intend to use for distribution and assigned a content type to them, click "Ready".

A dialog box will open asking if you want to scan the media directories. Here you need to click "Yes".

The above procedure will be performed.

After the scan is completed, the program database will be created, and you will be required to click on the element "Close".

Now, after the distribution settings are completed, you can start the server. To do this, click the icon "Launch" on the horizontal toolbar.

It may then open a dialog box "Windows Firewall" where you will need to click "Allow Access", otherwise many important functions of the program will be blocked.

After that, distribution will begin. You will be able to view available content from devices that are connected to the current network. If you need to turn off the server and stop distributing content, just click on the icon "Stop" on the Home Media Server toolbar.

Method 2: LG Smart Share

Unlike the previous program, the LG Smart Share application is designed to create a DLNA server on your computer that distributes content to devices manufactured by LG Corporation. That is, on the one hand, this is a more highly specialized program, but on the other hand, it allows you to achieve better tuning quality for a specific group of devices.

Unpack the downloaded archive and run the installation file located in it.

Welcome window will open "Install Wizard" in which you press "Further".

Then a window with a license agreement will open. To accept it, press "Yes".

At the next stage, you can specify the program installation directory. The default is the directory LG Smart Share, which is located in the parent folder LG Software, located in the standard directory for placing programs for Windows 7. We recommend that you do not change these settings, but simply click "Further".

After that, LG Smart Share will be installed, as well as all the necessary system components if they are not available.

After the completion of this procedure, a window will appear informing you that the installation was successfully completed. Here you need to make some settings. First of all, pay attention to the fact that opposite the parameter "Enable all SmartShare data access services" there was a checkmark. If for some reason it is missing, then you need to set this mark.

By default, content will be distributed from standard folders "Music", "Photo" And "Video". If you want to add a directory, then in this case press "Change".

In the window that opens, select desired folder and press OK.

After the desired directory is displayed in the field "Install Wizard", press "Ready".

Then a dialog box will open where you should confirm your consent to the use of LG Smart Share system information by clicking OK.

After that, access via the DLNA protocol will be activated.

Method 3: Windows 7 Native Toolkit

Now let's look at the algorithm for creating a DLNA server using Windows 7's own toolkit. In order to use this method, you must first organize a homegroup.

click "Start" and go to point "Control Panel".

In the block "Network and Internet" click on name "Choose homegroup options".

The homegroup editing shell opens. Click on the caption "Select media streaming options...".

In the window that opens, click "Enable media streaming".

Next, a shell opens, where in the area "Media Library Name" you need to enter an arbitrary name. The same window displays devices that are currently connected to the network. Make sure that among them there are no third-party equipment for which you do not want to distribute media content, and then click OK.

Next, you return to the window for changing the settings of the home group. As you can see, the checkmark in front of the item "Streaming..." already installed. Check the boxes next to the names of those libraries from which you are going to distribute content over the network, and then click "Save Changes".

As a result of the specified actions, a DLNA server will be created. You can connect to it from home network devices using the same password that you set when creating the homegroup. You can change it if you wish. To do this, you need to go back to your homegroup settings and click "Change Password…".

A window opens where you again need to click on the inscription "Change Password", and then enter the desired passphrase to be used when connecting to the DLNA server.

If remote device does not support some content format that you distribute from your computer, then you can use the standard Windows Media Player to play it. To do this, run the specified program and click on the control panel "Flow". In the menu that opens, go to .

A dialog box will open where you need to confirm your action by clicking "Allow remote control...".

Now you can view content remotely using Windows Media Player, which is hosted on a DLNA server, that is, on your desktop computer.

Main disadvantage this method is that owners of editions of Windows 7 "Starter" and "Home Basic" cannot use it. It can only be used by users who have the Home Premium edition or higher installed. For the rest of the users, only options using third-party software remain available.

As you can see, creating a DLNA server on Windows 7 is not as difficult as it seems to many users. The most convenient and accurate settings can be made using third-party programs for these purposes. In addition, a significant part of the work on adjusting the parameters in this case will be carried out automatically by the software without direct user intervention, which will greatly facilitate the process. But if you are against using third party applications unless absolutely necessary, then in this case it is quite possible to configure the DLNA server for distributing media content using only the operating system's own tools. Although the latter feature is not available in all editions of Windows 7.

Alternative program to play video/photo/music on your TV. Any video stored on your computer is launched from the remote control. You don't need to run from a computer. During playback, your TV does all the work, and the computer acts as a network storage. This allows you to watch HDTV movies stored even on older weak computers.

(First, delete AllShare from your computer and all the "junk" files that it created next to the video files (if there were a lot of folders, it's better to search for these files by search extension name and delete them from there)

Home media server (UPnP, DLNA, HTTP)

Program website http://www.homemediaserver.ru/

latest version on the home page

Download update http://www.homemediaserver.ru/forum/viewforum.php?f=2

At the time of writing the instructions, 1.20.2 was installed and updated to 1.20.3

Edited after update to 1.42

Settings:

Run the program. Everything you see on the left is displayed on the TV. I believe that all folders should be hidden, except for "Media Resource Directories".

When you enter the "All Movies" folder on the TV, the TV starts downloading all open video files, and since there are a lot of them, it will take a lot of time each time and, as a result, will turn out to be terribly inconvenient (both in time and in sorting).

Hide folders one at a time by right-clicking and selecting Hide Folder. The same should be done for the categories "Music" and "Photo".

There are folders that cannot be hidden. In this case, I recommend deleting them.

"Settings" - "Media resources" - delete unnecessary folders and add our own, do not change the green dots

(Most users only need to add 2 folders - Desktop and My Documents)

"Settings" - "Devices" - uncheck "Auto-detect" and select the model of your TV, we do not pay attention to the year and resolution

(For example, I have "Samsung TV 2012 (DNLA, 16:9, 720x406)", "Samsung TV 2009 (DLNA, 16:9, 1920x1080)" was previously selected, but this mode could not play *.MOV)

(If you still can't open folders from the TV, return the "Auto-detect" checkbox)

"Settings" - "Server" - In the name field, enter the name you like or leave the standard one (the name of your PC)

"Settings" - "Advanced" - check the boxes "Start the program at the start of a Windows session" and "Install the Windows service "Home media server (UPnP)"

(if your PC is quite old, you have little RAM, or you are not going to change the program settings often - do not check the "Start the program at the start of a Windows session" checkbox)

"Settings" --> "Media Resources" --> "Service"

Folder "Service" --> Uncheck "Unload server", "Stop server"

Sort folder --> Uncheck "Sort folder in each media resource folder"

Folder "Bookmarks" --> Uncheck "Folder" Add bookmark "in each folder of media resources

Folder "Bookmarks" --> Uncheck "Folder" Navigation History "in the root folder of media resources

A window will pop up asking "Do you want to scan your media directories?" - click "YES" and wait for completion.

Click "Start Server", or right-click on the tray icon and select "Start Server"

Exploitation:

Adding a new movie

When you have downloaded a new movie, in order for it to appear in the list on your TV, you must perform any of the steps to restart the service. After that, the program synchronizes its list with files. From simple to complex:

Option 1: Restart your computer

Option 2: Run the program and click "Restart"

Option 3: Manually restart the "Home Media Server (UPnP)" service

Option 4: Run net stop HmsService && net start HmsService

Option 5: Create a *.bat file to restart the service. Great convenience in subsequent operation. Instructions for creating will be provided below.

Video rewind

In contrast to turning on rewind when viewing via USB, rewind when viewing via the network is slightly "cut down", namely, the standard rewind buttons do not work (only play, pause and stop). There are 2 options for rewinding

Option 1: Press the "Tools" button on the remote control and rewind in 1 minute increments, going to any point in the movie almost immediately. (This function does not work on all TVs

Option 2: When watching a movie, use the "Left" "Right" buttons (rewind by 10 seconds) (which navigate through the folders.

Occasionally there may be files that cannot be rewound at all (depending on codec and your TV)

File not being read

If you can't read any *.mkv file (very rare *.avi) referring to "Unsupported video codec" (this message may also pop up with an unsupported audio codec) there are solutions to the problem. (For example, my TV firmware T-MST4DEUC-1026.0 supports H.264 BP / MP / HP up to H.264, Level 4.1. H.264 FMO/ASO/RS formats are not supported)

Option 1: Use the "Transcode" function

Option 2: If "Transcoding" does not work on your TV model, select a Philips device of a suitable configuration instead of Samsung in the program settings and restart the server. In this case, the notification on the TV about the connected device will not be displayed. We go to the desired folder and the files in which the error was written will begin to open. This method is not suitable for everyone, only for those who have a more or less modern PC, because. on the PC, the process of encoding video "on the fly" is launched when viewing, and weak computers simply do not have time to process it without visible "freezing" of the video. With this method, rewind will not work, however, if you go to the transcoding folder (located in the same folder with the video file being opened) and then go to the folder with parts of the movie, you can select any piece of the file (intervals of 1 minute), at the end of the minute, another piece will not "loaded" taking a break in a couple of seconds, and everything is reproduced as it should be.

But I do not advise leaving the Philips device in the program settings, because. when viewing any video file (even one that went without problems), it will still be encoded and load the processor on the computer.

(Tested on Samsung LE32D550K1W)

Information:

The "Transcoding" function provides for on-the-fly video transcoding, etc. if it is not possible to view it in normal mode (if your TV does not support any format or codec).

In my case (Samsung TV), transcoding helps very rarely, I have to select a separate mode for each video.

Creating a *.bat file to quickly restart the service (after adding a new movie)

Since there are 2 processes running at the same time on the computer:

C:\Program Files\Home Media Server\hmssvc.exe - a service that does all the main work (for those who set the option "Install the Windows service "Home Media Server (UPnP)" in the settings

C:\Program Files\Home Media Server\hms.exe - program for managing through the interface (open folder, change settings, etc.)

We remove in the settings "Autoload the program at the start of a Windows session"

Create a text document "Server restart.txt" on the desktop

Copy the following text there

net stop HmsService && net start HmsService

On very old/weak/slow computers, where the service does not have time to finish quickly and instead of restarting it turns off the service, another option (I recommend it to everyone):

@echo off

(net stop HmsService && net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & ping localhost >nul & net start HmsService) || (ping localhost >nul & ping local

The entire command must be entered on one line (except @echo off)

Save and rename "Server restart.txt" to "Server restart.bat"

When downloading a new movie from the network / Internet, run "Restart server.bat" and after a few seconds (depending on the power of the PC and the number open files) everything will be ready

Hello friends! We continue to choose a software media server for home needs. In this article, we will talk about a very powerful and sophisticated application. And most importantly, completely free.

So, the topic of the article is this - the program Home Media Server: how to download, install and configure.

In we talked in detail about the main functions of programs of this class (media servers). In short, their main task is to provide media resources (video, music, pictures) stored on a computer to other devices on the home network.

Okay, what specific devices can this program grant access to?

I will answer briefly - any. That is, it can be DLNA-enabled TVs (home networking function), game consoles, media players, mobile devices. If you look, then almost any of your home devices can become a full-fledged member of your home media network.

So, after reading this article, you will know:

In addition to the above features, the program can "on the fly" convert the format of video and audio files into the one that supports your device (TV, tablet, and so on).

It also knows how to redirect broadcasting streams of digital television and radio from a computer to a TV set in real time.

You can start playing any file from your computer both on a specific device and on the whole group at the same time. Remote access via WEB-interface (i.e. via browser) is supported.

What more i can say? It is possible to display subtitles even if your device does not support them.

There is a function of working with podcasts - this is the ability to view online cinemas on TV, such as HDkinomir.com, HDserials.tv and many others. For those who do not support the Smart TV function, this is generally a godsend.

But, as they say, let's start from the beginning.

How to download and set up Home program media server(click)

Immediately you need to download the Home Media Server program. After that, unpack the downloaded archive and run the "setup.exe" file.

The installation process will start. You will be prompted to select a directory to install the application. You can leave the default:

In the next step, you will be asked to select the type of device that our media server will work with.

In principle, if the "Autodetect" option is checked, the program will determine everything and set the necessary parameters for your media device.

Now you need to select the folders, or entire local drives, that you want to make public:

Then the program will ask you to do backups settings. We will not do this, since far from everyone has set up what they wanted. Therefore, click the "Close" button:

This step will open the main window of the program. You can study a little to get used to it. Then click the "Settings" button:

In the window that opens, select the "Scanning" tab below:

This will give us the ability to control the server and computer from the TV.

For example, after watching a movie, you will not need to go to the computer to turn it off. Everything can be done from the telly. Cool, do you agree?

Now select the "Devices" tab and click the "Search" button:

Here again, click the "Search" button at the bottom of the window. When asked to start the server, answer "Yes":

The program will start and its icon will appear in the system tray:

After that, a window with a list of found devices will be displayed. We find the TV and click on the red icon on the left in the form of a road sign "No Entry":

It should now take the form of a green checkmark. This means that the TV and the server understand each other and are ready to work over the network.

After that, on the "Devices" tab, all found devices should be displayed. Select the TV again and press the "Settings" button:

If you want to access the server from any device on your home network through a web browser, select the "Advanced" tab and check the "Web navigation" box:

I recommend turning off the "Create playlists of media resources in Web navigation mode" option.

Now you can access the program through a web browser:

Let's check if this is the case:

As you can see, everything works.

To view media resources on a computer, you need the VLC player.

If the program interface does not open, follow the path "Settings - Server" and check if the port number is correct:

Also disable the firewall on your computer and try again.

Therefore, the blog, so as not to miss interesting material.

Now I will briefly talk about the "Transcoder" tab:

For example, you downloaded a movie in a format that your TV cannot play.

In this case, you can choose a transcoding profile that will transcode the video into the desired format. Moreover, the whole process takes place during startup, without any prior user action.

It should be noted that in the program you can set transcoding settings according to three main principles:

First: for all movies (example in the screenshot above).
Second: For certain types of video file extensions.

To do this, follow the path "Settings - Media resources - File types - Edit":

The third: for a specific movie.

In the main window of the server, select the desired video file, right-click on it and select "Transcoding Profile":

At first glance, a beginner may not understand all these profiles, encodings, and so on. It's very easy to get confused. To be honest, the author of the article also did not immediately get to the bottom of the matter. But in fact, everything is quite simple.

Look, at the very beginning of setting up the Home Media Server program, we indicated the type of our media device, in our case, a Samsung TV:

After that, the application itself determines which audio-video file formats your TV supports.

And if, for example, you launch a movie with a resolution that is not in the above list, transcoding will start for it in order to convert it into a TV-readable format. I hope the point is clear to you.

As a rule, nothing needs to be changed for Samsung TVs, so leave all the settings here as they are. We will solve all problems as they appear, since the topic of setting up transcoding in HMS is very extensive.

Now let's move on to the final stage. Go to the "Advanced" tab and set the settings as in the screenshot below:

Now the program will automatically load and quietly "hang" peacefully in the Windows system services.

Let's go back to the main window of the program. Let's describe the main control buttons:

The "Movies - Music - Photos" buttons are used to select folders with the corresponding resources.

The "Start - Stop - Restart" buttons control the server. In the working state, the start button must be pressed (be inactive).

That's all. The question of how to download, install and configure the Home Media Server program can be closed.

After the HMS program (abbreviated name) has been downloaded and configured, press the "Start" button in the program and go to the TV.

Press the "Source" button on the remote control and look for our server:

If it is not in the list, press the red "A" button on the TV remote control to update. Also temporarily disable the firewall of your antivirus program.

So, the "AllShare HMS" item has appeared, open it. We see the folder directory:

Select the folder "Catalogs of media resources", our films from the computer will appear:

When viewing, a pause and search by time work. Very handy options.

If you return to the initial folder directory and follow the path "Service - Media Server", then you can control the computer and the program itself from the TV remote control:

Agree that in terms of automation, this is very cool. No need to constantly go to the computer a little. We watched a movie, turned off the computer, then the TV and went to bed. 🙂

Now let's look at a couple of interesting applications of the program.

Let's start by watching IPTV channels your provider on the TV screen.

To do this, open the main window of the Home Media Server program and drag a playlist with M3U TV channels onto it with the mouse:

Then go to the "Internet TV" tab:

Now click the "Settings" button at the top of the window and follow the path "Devices - your TV - Settings":

In the window that opens, select "Files, subtitles", then the "Internet TV" tab.

In the "Transcoding profile" column, specify the value "Internet TV (Input stream)":

Save the changes by pressing the "OK" button.

Now you need to install VLC player on your computer. If you already have it, good. In case not, download from here. Just install it, no configuration required.

Then restart the Home Media Server program:

Now go to the TV and select the "Internet TV" folder:

If everything is done correctly, a list of channels from the playlist will open:

Watch and enjoy!

Perhaps someone will say that if there is a Smart TV function on the Samsung TV set, then it will be more convenient to watch IPTV channels through, without using a computer at all.

I agree. But what about people who have TVs without Smart TV, but just DLNA (the ability to combine home devices into a media network)? This is where HMS comes to the rescue.

By the way, I propose to consider another useful function of the program - work with podcasts. With it, we can partially replace the Smart TV function.

So what are podcasts for Home Media Server?

These are files that are loaded into the program and allow you to watch online cinemas directly on your TV. That is, in fact, this is an analogy of the "smart TV" technology.

Getting started. Download and unzip the podcast you like from the app's official forum.

Upload it to the server in the same way as a playlist with IPTV channels - just drag it with the mouse to the main program window:

Now select the "Podcasts" tab, then search for your podcast and right-click on it to bring up an additional menu. Here, select "Update Podcasts":

The update process is quite lengthy, so you will have to wait.

After that, go to the TV and select "Podcasts" in the folder directory of the server:

Choose your podcast:

Choose and watch:

I would like to note that the pause worked for the author of the article when viewing, but there was no search by time. It's upsetting. It turns out that rewind does not work in podcasts.

Another important nuance in working with podcasts is the fact that not all of them work stably.

So, it seems that we have analyzed the main points, therefore the essence of the article " Home Media Server: download, install and configure"revealed.

Naturally, for the smooth operation of the program, it is necessary that the computer be on the same network, and it is recommended to enable the "UPnP" option (auto-detection of ports).

As you can see, this media server has great potential. But the other side of the coin is a large number of settings and parameters. It is quite difficult for a new user to immediately delve into the details.

Therefore, if something is not clear, ask in the comments, we will solve your problems together.

Finally. There is no dispute about musical tastes, but this song is definitely nice to the author of the article. And you?

I recently realized that televisions are still in the last century. If mobile gadgets and computers are becoming more convenient, faster and simpler, then the only thing that changes in TVs is the screen size and resolution. It's not worth talking about convenience yet.

A TV without a media server on your computer or a special device is practically useless, unless you like to hang in. Therefore, I have selected the 5 best media servers for your computer that will upgrade your TV and make it much more functional.

Plex

Plex is the most popular and perhaps the most convenient option. By running the server on a computer, you can manage it from a browser, set up a media library, add subtitles, and more. Plex downloads all the information about the movie automatically and does it perfectly 9 out of 10 times. The TV sees the Plex server without any problems and plays everything perfectly. The only negative of Plex and other similar programs is that the TV does not see the subtitles embedded in the movie, but for most this does not matter.

Plex is free, but you'll need to purchase a subscription for additional features.

Plex

I used this server for a very long time on an old TV. It works quite well and unlike Plex, HMS is a whole combine, the functionality of which knows no bounds. The only negative will be the program's terrible interface, but since it is needed to play movies on a TV, this will not be a big problem. The program is absolutely free and is available only in the version for Windows.

Initially, the PS3 Media Server was distributed as an add-on to the PlayStation 3, allowing you to play movies on your TV using the console. Then the program began to live a separate life. Like the previous alternatives, it supports DLNA playback and doesn't require any setup fiddling.

Serviio is far from the most popular media server, but it also deserves a place in our top. The app is free, but you can buy it for $25 PRO version, which allows access to your content from any, not only home network, and allows you to play content from the web (this function is given as an introduction and in free version). Serviio has apps for Android, but they act as a secondary control panel for the server side on the computer.

Kodi (former XBMC)

XBMC was created to bring video playback to the Xbox. Then the project split off and now Kodi is one of the most popular media centers, supporting almost all platforms due to open source. Kodi has apps for iOS and Android that allow you to use your smartphone as a remote control. The service lives on donations and is absolutely free.

Kodi

For me, the clear favorite is Plex. And what do you use?

Local media servers are out of fashion. Microsoft is no longer releasing Windows Home Server and is ending support for Windows Media Center. However, for those who want to create home server and stream media to all your devices, there are still great software solutions out there.

Of course, you can simply connect your computer to your TV, but with the help of special solutions, access to multimedia files is possible from any device. There are apps for set-top boxes, smartphones, tablets, and web interfaces for everything else. You can even connect from anywhere in the world via the Internet.

With you - media collection

You can organize your own media server with the help of good free programs, but of course you need to have a decent collection of your own media files to be successful. Own server is a great solution for those who have a large selection of videos (including DVDs) and music (including CDs): you can enjoy watching and listening on any device, regardless of services like Netflix and Spotify. You can even view photos - ideal if you have a large photo collection.

Plex or Media Browser: The choice is yours

Perhaps the two most popular solutions for creating your own media server are and. Both work on the same principle and involve installing a server program on a computer, laptop, NAS drive, or a dedicated home server. You can still try (in the past XBMC), but this solution is more complicated and works a little differently.

Both Plex and Media Browser offer server software for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, and a variety of NAS servers. To create your own media server, you can use a regular computer, a separate server, or a ready-made NAS drive with support for server software.

Plex has client apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, and PlayStation, as well as Chromecast support. In addition, you can connect to the server using mobile applications for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Windows 8. There is a web interface and a functional Plex application for PC, which will come in handy when connecting a computer to a TV.

Media Browser also has clients for Roku and some other set-top boxes, as well as Chromecast support. Provided mobile applications for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Windows 8, and from a computer you can connect to the server via a web interface.

Both solutions are very similar in functionality, but Plex has a much wider choice of client applications (there is support for PlayStation, Xbox and Fire TV). However, there is a price to pay: the Plex app for iOS costs $5, while installing the apps on Xbox and PlayStation requires a Plex Pass subscription for $5 per month.

Media Browser and accompanying client applications are completely free - there are no subscription fees or in-app purchases. But Media Browser doesn't have PlayStation or Xbox support, even at an extra cost. You will have to choose what is more important - savings or versatility. Better yet, try both to make your choice.

Install the server, applications - and start using

Installation will take a matter of minutes, regardless of the chosen solution. Install Plex or Media Browser on the future server and specify the address of the folder with multimedia files in the settings. If desired, you can make account(both Plex and Media Browser have this option) - then it will be easier to enter client applications and connect to the server remotely via the Internet.

After setting up the server, install applications on a set-top box, smartphone, tablet - and connect to your media collection. Everything is very easy here. And if you have a Chromecast, you don't even need to install a dedicated Plex or Media Browser app on your TV - just install the app on your smartphone and use it to stream media directly to your Chromecast.

Of course, to use all these features, you need the server itself, on which the collection of files will be stored. If the collection is not required to be available around the clock, you can install the server program on your regular computer or laptop and use media files only when it is turned on.

And you can allocate a separate server for this, which will work constantly and even allow you to connect to the collection remotely via the Internet. It is not necessary to use a full-fledged powerful computer for this - a weak compact NAS drive with a large hard drive for storing media files will do.

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